Everybody say Love

Drag has deep roots in Western culture, specifically in theatre when women weren’t permitted to perform on stage so men would play female roles. Drag performers were featured as far back as ancient Greece and carried on through Shakespearean times.

In the nineteenth century, female impersonators began to use the medium as a performative art, especially in vaudeville shows. In the 1880s, the first drag queen, William Dorsey Swann, hosted drag balls at his home. By the early twentieth century, drag was tied to the LGBTQ+ community—a community that was marginalized in the United States—and it was no longer part of popular mainstream entertainment. Instead, performances became a major aspect of city nightlife, especially in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Drag is revolutionary for obviously a variety of amazing reasons. Embracing self expression and love is truthfully what brought straight people involved in the culture as well. Drag can be a way to release tension and vent emotions. It can be a way to safely express oneself. Many use it to explore sexual orientation and gender identity. Others do it because they enjoy the fame and glory of winning. Drag is a powerful symbol in the LGBTQ+ community. It is for EVERYONE to be apart of behind and on the stage.